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Biden is targeting Trump’s ‘extremist movement’ as he makes democracy a touchstone in reelection bid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — President Joe Biden is arguing that “there is something dangerous happening in America” as he revives his warnings that Donald Trump and his allies represent an existential threat to the country’s democratic institutions.“There is an extremist movement that does not share the basic beliefs of our democracy. The MAGA movement,” Biden says in excerpts of the speech Thursday in Arizona, released in advance by the White House, referring to Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan.Although voting in the 2024 Republican primary doesn’t begin for months, Biden’s focus reflects Trump’s status as the undisputed frontrunner for his party’s nomination despite facing four indictments, two of them related to his attempts to overturn Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.Biden’s speech is his fourth in a series of presidential addresses on the topic, a cause that is a touchstone for him as he tries to remain in office even in the face of low ...

Florida park gives apt name to alligator missing top half of its jaw

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

(CNN) — The alligator that was taken to Gatorland after being reported wandering around Central Florida with the top half of its jaw missing now has a name, the park announced in a social media video Wednesday.And the inspiration comes from a decades-old country music hit about a beautiful romantic rival.“Jawlene,” named for the 1973 Dolly Parton song “Jolene,” continues to receive treatment in isolation from the other Gatorland animals. The female gator has gained about 0.3 grams, or 0.01 ounces, according to crocodilian enrichment coordinator Savannah Boan.Gatorland, which took in the gator earlier this month, chose Jawlene from a list of names submitted by parkgoers and fans of the viral reptile, park CEO Mark McHugh said in the video.McHugh also shared that Jawlene reached a new milestone Wednesday by eating two mice completely on her own using the back of her tongue.The park has been in conversation with animal and human prosthetics makers about a poten...

Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa named AFC Offensive Player of the Month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for his standout performance in September, the NFL announced Thursday.Tagovailoa’s achievement makes him the first Dolphins player to earn the AFC Offensive Player of the Month title in three decades, with quarterback Scott Mitchell last achieving the honor in October 1993, the Miami Dolphins said in a news release. He joins an elite group, alongside quarterbacks Dan Marino and Scott Mitchell, who won the award in previous years.Throughout the month of September, Tagovailoa completed 72-of-104 passes with a 71.3% completion rate, collecting 1,024 yards, eight touchdowns, and just two interceptions, resulting in a 121.9 passer rating. He leads the league in both passer rating and yards per attempt, with his 10.1 yards per attempt surpassing other quarterbacks in the league by a significant margin.Tagovailoa ranks second in the NFL and first in the AFC for passing yards (1,024) and passing...

Police search for missing 15-year-old girl in Allapattah

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

The Miami Police are seeking the public’s help in finding a missing 15-year-old girl.Jenny Bustillos was last seen in the Allapattah area, Tuesday. She was last seen wearing a red sweater, green polo shirt and black pants.Bustillos stands at 5 feet, 3 inches tall, weighs about 90 pounds, has dark hair and brown eyes. If you have any information on her whereabouts, you are urged to call 305-603-6300 or 305-579-6111.

Frustration Growing With MBTA And Its “Unusual” Issues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

MBTA officials shed little new light Thursday on the “unusual” rail problems that have slowed the nearly brand-new Green Line Extension almost to a halt, while a growing tide of public frustration is taking aim at Gov. Maura Healey and her hand-picked deputies.Portions of the Green Line Extension’s Medford and Union Square branches cannot safely operate above 3 mph because the tracks now appear slightly too narrow for normal operations, General Manager Phil Eng told agency overseers at a public meeting.Those conditions only appeared on a recent inspection, not prior scans, Eng said, adding that crews are still trying to determine how long the issue has been present.“You would typically expect the gauge to widen, and that can be, over time, wear on the rail, wear on the ties and just the use of the track,” Eng said at an MBTA Board of Directors meeting. “What I understand is the tolerances that resulted in these recent speed restrictions is very mi...

A few showers Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

We had ourselves another nice fall day! Get the umbrella and rain jacket back out. The weather changes tomorrow into Saturday with more clouds and showers. Sunday and early next week looks fantastic!We’ll have more clouds overnight, so temperatures won’t be quite as chilly. We’ll start out in the upper 40s/low 50s inland and upper 50s on the coast. Tomorrow will be a cooler day with more clouds, a northeast breeze and showers…Let’s talk about the wet weather. Tomorrow morning, the shower activity favors western Mass (shown in the first picture of future radar below). The heaviest rainfall amounts will be to our southwest around New Jersey, New York and western Connecticut. There will be a chance for showers throughout the day (the evening radar shown in second picture below). The clouds and rain linger into Saturday. Rain is most likely south during the morning. We’ll get more clearing through the afternoon and evening. The clouds will make for a ...

Biden to announce library in honor of longtime friend John McCain in Arizona

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden on Thursday will announce the construction of an Arizona library in honor of his longtime friend, the late Republican Sen. John McCain.The McCain Library will boast “a new multi-purpose facility to provide education, work, and health monitoring programs to underserved communities in the state,” a White House official said, with funding from the American Rescue Plan in partnership with the McCain Institute and Arizona State University.Biden will be joined Thursday by McCain’s widow, Cindy McCain, as well as Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and members of the Arizona delegation.During his remarks, the president is expected to issue blunt new warnings about ongoing threats to US democracy, sharpening the central argument in his potential rematch with Donald Trump, who has repeatedly attacked McCain.McCain’s death was deeply personal for Biden, who lost his son Beau to the same cancer McCain was diagnosed with in 2017.Durin...

Bruins notebook: Defenseman Ian Mitchell making a play for a roster spot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

At first glance, the Taylor Hall trade to the Chicago Blackhawks looked like a straight salary dump for the Bruins. They were in salary cap hell and they needed to shed money. Hall’s $6 million price tag solved that issue in one fell swoop.But while gaining cap flexibility prior to free agency was no doubt the main impetus behind the Hall trade, Ian Mitchell hopes the deal (which also included the negotiating rights to Nick Foligno) represents something more to the Bruins than just taking a spoonful of bitter medicine.Mitchell and Alec Regula were the two right-shot defensemen who came in return for Hall. At the very least, the return bolstered the organizational depth at right D, a position that needed it. Mitchell, meanwhile, was one of the defensemen who popped late in the B’s 4-1 loss to Buffalo on Tuesday.A second-round draft pick of the Hawks in 2017 (57th overall), Mitchell was up and down between Chicago and Rockford the last three years, never really gaining any...

Tim Wakefield, wife, both battling cancer after Curt Schilling leaks sad news

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

Former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield has been diagnosed with brain cancer while his wife Stacy is fighting pancreatic cancer — developments shared publicly without their permission, the organization said in a Thursday release.The statement from the Red Sox comes after Wakefield’s ex-teammate Curt Schilling brought the illnesses to light on his podcast Wednesday night.“We are aware of the statements and inquiries about the health of Tim and Stacy Wakefield. Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission,” the statement reads. “Their health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease. Tim and Stacy are appreciative of the support and love that has always been extended to them and respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”Schilling, on his podcast, acknowledged he never received approval from Wakefield to share the news before proceeding to do so, anyway.“This is not...

Ousted Massachusetts pot boss Shannon O’Brien sues Treasurer Deb Goldberg

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:58 GMT

After weeks of silence, the state treasurer has finally explained her reasoning for removing Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien from her $181,722 post atop the pot board, just hours before the former gubernatorial candidate sued the treasurer over her ouster.O’Brien, who was appointed by Treasurer Deb Goldberg last year, was unceremoniously suspended, with pay, by Goldberg in mid-September. Until Thursday, no reason was given, except veiled assertions by the current acting chair to reference the state law governing why a commissioner might be removed.Now we know why.“Several serious allegations were made by a Commissioner and CCC staff about the Chair’s behavior and the CCC initiated an investigation, hiring an outside law firm. The law firm undertook an investigation and has returned with a report. According to the CCC’s employee handbook, suspension with pay is the only allowable remedy at this point, as the findings are being reviewed and action is considered,” Gol...